Automotive vehicles powered by an electric motor or an electric motor and a gasoline engine are commonly referred to as electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV). As is well known in the art, such vehicles include batteries for supplying power to the electric motors thereof.
Electric and hybrid-electric vehicles typically provide for charging such batteries using an interface configured to rectify electrical power from a 120 volt or 240 volt alternating current (AC) utility power line for storage by the vehicle batteries. A vehicle inlet or receptacle is also provided for use in charging the batteries of an EV or HEV. Such a vehicle inlet or receptacle may be provided on a vehicle at a location (e.g., rear quarter panel) similar to that of a capped fuel filler in a gasoline powered vehicle.
To charge an EV or HEV batteries, a vehicle inlet or receptacle may be connected to a vehicle connector or plug, which may be part of a cord or cable and which also may be connected to a charging station. A vehicle inlet and vehicle connector together comprise a vehicle coupler. A vehicle inlet or receptacle may include illumination features to provide visual indications to a user when in operation.
In that regard, various features of electric vehicles, including couplers for vehicle battery charging, are shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0204859 entitled “Electrically Powered Vehicle” and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0207771 entitled “Inductively Coupled Power Transfer Assembly.” Exemplary couplers for use in charging electric vehicle batteries are also shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0246198 entitled “Illuminated Bezel Of Charge Port For Electric Vehicle” and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0302781 entitled “Electric Charge Receptacle With Illumination Features.”
Such prior art devices, however, lack additional illumination features for enhanced visual perceptibility by a user, and do not provide for flexibility in packaging. Thus, there exists a need for an improved vehicle inlet for use in charging a battery of an electric vehicle or a hybrid-electric vehicle. Such an improved vehicle inlet would provide a visual indication to a user when an ambient light level is less than a threshold level and/or when a cover for the vehicle inlet is open. As well, such a vehicle inlet would include an luminance ring and luminance engine configured for simple assembly in multiple locations on the vehicle inlet.